Guide Note

Back when the WWE was the WWWF in the 1960s, Gorilla Monsoon was one of the top heels in the company, feuding with Bruno Sammartino before turning face in 1969. In June 1976, Monsoon gained worldwide publicity after putting Muhammad Ali--who was then prepping for a match with Antonio Inoki that month--in an airplane spin, slamming the boxer onto the mat.

After retiring in 1982, Monsoon became a color commentator, usually paired with Jesse Ventura or Bobby Hennan throughout the WWE's peak through the 1980s and early 1990s. He still holds the record for announcing the most consecutive WrestleManias, having commentated the first eight.

Monsoon was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1994.

He made his final WWE appearance in 1999 at WrestleMania XV. He died in October of that year following a heart attack. He is widely considered to be one of the most beloved wrestling personalities of all time.

Fast Facts

Real name: Robert Marella
Born: June 4, 1937
Died: October 6, 1999
Age: 62
Billed height: 6'5"
Billed weight: 375 lbs
Graduated Ithaca College
1994 WWE Hall of Fame inductee

Categories

Entertainment | Sports | Wrestling | Professional Wrestling | World Wrestling Entertainment

View Note History

Gorilla Monsoon

The Mahalo Top 7

WWE.com: Gorilla Monsoon
Wikipedia: Gorilla Monsoon
Online World of Wrestling: Gorilla Monsoon
Wrestlingmuseum.com: Gorilla Monsoon
SLAM! Sports: Gorilla Monsoon Dead at 62 (October 6, 1999)
IMDb: Robert "Gorilla Monsoon" Marella
YouTube Video: Andre the Giant vs Gorilla Monsoon (Time: 7:01)

Gorilla Monsoon News and Articles

Google News: Gorilla Monsoon
The New York Times: "The Lives They Lived: Gorilla Monsoon, b. 1937; When Wrestling Was Noir" (2000)
Ithaca College Quarterly: Farewell to Wrestler Gorilla Monsoon (1999)

Gorilla Monsoon Photos

WWE.com: Gorilla Monsoon Photo Galleries
Yahoo! Image Search: Gorilla Monsoon
Google Image Search: Gorilla Monsoon
Live Search Images: Gorilla Monsoon

Gorilla Monsoon Videos

WWE.com: Gorilla Monsoon Video
YouTube & Google: Gorilla Monsoon Video Search
YouTube: Muhammad Ali - Gorilla Monsoon Wrestling Classic (Time 6:11)
YouTube: Bruno Sammartino vs Gorilla Monsoon (Time 1:01)
YouTube: Gorilla Monsoon vs. George "The Animal" Steele (Time 4:25)
YouTube: Gorilla Monsoon Tribute (Time 0:55)

Gorilla Monsoon Fansites, Blogs, and Forums

Bigfooty.com: Gorilla Monsoon Blog/Forum
Bloggingboner: Gorilla Monsoon Blog Post
Google Blog Search: Gorilla Monsoon

Gorilla Monsoon Timeline

June 4, 1937: born
1959: Takes 2nd place in the NCAA Championship
1963: Joins the WWF now WWE
1969: Becomes a babyface after a feud with The Iron Sheik
1973: Inducted into the Ithaca College Athletic Hall of Fame
1976: Famous confrontation with Muhammad Ali
1977: Feud with Andre the Giant in Puerto Rico
1980: Famous match with Hulk Hogan
August 23, 1980: Wrestles Ken Patera, loses and retires
1982: Teams up with Jesse Ventura as commentators
1993: Steps down as lead announcer for Jim Ross
October 6, 1999: dies

Gorilla Monsoon Biographies and Profiles

WWE.com: Gorilla Monsoon Biography
IMDb: Robert "Gorilla Monsoon" Marella Biography
Tripod.com: Gorilla Monsoon Overview

Gorilla Monsoon Merchandise

eBay: Gorilla Monsoon Merchandise
Amazon.com: Gorilla Monsoon Merchandise
Half.com: Gorilla Monsoon Books
Google Product Search: Gorilla Monsoon Merchandise

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